Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Greenwich

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The progress and experience of young people at this home since the last inspection have been poor. There has not been enough consideration given to the mix of young people and the impact of new admissions on existing residents. Routine impact assessments are being carried out, and accurately identify potential risks. The risk analysis does not determine the offer of a placement, but identifies what resources would be needed in order to safely manage the risks presented. However, the rise of incidents at the home, the lack of progress for young people and the way placements end indicate that the admissions process is not effective.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, no placements have ended well. Young people have gone into custody, moved homes while missing from care, or notice has been given due to disruptive behaviour and risks within the local community. One young person had a planned move to a residential school. The manager and staff team did not agree with the placing authority about this move. However, no robust challenge was made by the service on behalf of the young person to change or amend this plan. The move was distressing and the police had to be called.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The influence of current young people on new residents is evident. One young person told me that when he arrived he thought it was a nice home, he felt welcomed and the people were good. His view was changed by another young person who told him, ‘Don’t believe that they are nice, you wait until you have been here a while.’ The new arrival feels that his peer was right and said, ‘I don’t like the home very much, but some of the staff are all right.’

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have struggled to engage some young people, despite them being in placement for some months. Some of this is attributable to young people being missing from the home and presenting challenging behaviours. However, it has delayed progress on young people’s care planning.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are not making progress as expected. Examples of this are non- attendance at school placements or alternative provision, and no up-to-date personal education planning for some young people. No looked after children health assessments are on file, even when young people have attended their health appointments. Not all placing authority care plans and review decisions or minutes are on file. Although the manager and staff cannot be held accountable for the placing authorities’ responsibilities, they have not challenged these issues robustly enough to ensure any change or progress to care plans.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is currently on extended leave from the home and an interim manager is covering in her absence. The interim manager is new to this role and has been managing some challenging issues presented by young people with complex needs. There have been some changes in the staff team. The home’s statement of purpose was last updated in May 2015 and the staffing changes should be reflected in this document.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous manager completed a location risk assessment of the home, which includes the surrounding area outside of the home and potential risks in the community. It is a requirement that this document is updated annually and a copy of the report sent to the regulator. This report was due for an update in December 2016, and there have been some issues of concern in the immediate locality which should be included in this assessment, to ensure that staff can keep young people as safe as possible.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent person visits the home once a month and writes a report which takes into account the views of young people, professionals and parents. These reports do not currently include a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young people.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a rise in serious incidents, which have required notification to the regulator. The home has been through an unsettling period with a change of manager and the mix of young people’s needs, all of which have led to an increase in incidents and notifications. Two incidents were not notified in a timely manner, which means that the regulator cannot respond if necessary.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people frequently go missing from the home and there is an increase in missing episodes since the last inspection. It has been a challenge for staff to try to engage young people in any meaningful way, which delays progress in care planning and in offering help and protection. The response from the manager and the staff team to young people going missing is good and the appropriate people have been notified.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff team have worked in partnership to try to engage young people in attending meetings and appointments. They have requested strategy meetings when concerns have escalated about young people’s patterns of missing from care, and requested review meetings in an attempt to stabilise placements. When care plans have not been fulfilled or paperwork not received, managers and staff have not given robust enough challenge to ensure good progress for young people.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is well decorated and presented. Staff prepare healthy, delicious food to encourage regular mealtimes and good diets. The young people have broken the restrictors on upstairs windows and these must be replaced to ensure young people’s safety.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three recommendations were made at the last inspection. The first one was in respect of supporting the health and well-being of young people. This has not been met and further concerns found on this inspection show a breach of regulation. A requirement is now made. The second recommendation was in respect of the upkeep of the home and garden. This has been met; the home has undergone some decoration and the garden is cleared. The third recommendation was in relation to consultation with young people about their views of the home’s care. Young people’s records show that they have been consulted and have given their views on a number of issues. Young people know how to complain and are aware of their right to request an advocate to support them if necessary.

p.4

Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people aged from 12 to 17 years who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/05/2016 Full Good 13/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/07/2015 Full Requires improvement 25/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children:

p.6

Requirement Due date

(1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

(2)(a) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being of children are met and children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(vi) maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement;

p.6

Requirement Due date

(viii) help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8(2)(a)(vi)(viii)) 31/03/2017

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if:

p.6

Requirement Due date

(b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a 31/03/2017 child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.6

Requirement Due date

(e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.7

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that staff support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. This is in relation to updating a risk assessment on the location of the home and any risks young people may encounter in the community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

p.7

Recommendations

 Ensure compliance with relevant health and safety legislations, in respect of replacing broken window restrictors in young people’s bedrooms. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.7

Recommendations

 Ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home's care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

p.7

What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

p.8

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference that adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.9

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.9